ESPN top 10 centers in the league

[wetcoast]

Just like the Dman list they took 10 players, and 10 Hockey operations guys to come up with a list.

McDavid, then who? The NHL's best centers right now, according to players and execs

The Oilers star remains on the throne at No. 1, with some surprises elsewhere in the top 10. Here's how league insiders voted.

www.espn.com

1. McDavid
2. Mackinnin
3. Matthews

Thoughts?

 

[NikolaTesla]

Looks good.

 

[AKL]

There are several centers named in the honorable mentions and honorable non-mentions that I would not take over Eriksson Ek.

 

[Ace of Hades]

J.T Miller being just an HM is ridiculous.

Crosby is way too high on this list.

 

[Dave92]

The fact that MacKinnon Matthews and Draisaitl were all left out of the top 10 on some ballots tells you how disingenuous some of the responses were.

 

[dirtydanglez]

they nailed the top 3. i'd make some changes outside that but overall very good.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Looks good.

 

[lipstickjunkie]

Everyone knows who the top three are. After that 4-10 are kind of interchangeable.

 

[Three On Zero]

Top 3 = good
Bottom 7 = not so good

 

[ThatGuy22]

Crosby at 4th is 100% legacy. Still a damn good player, but he's closer to 10 at this point.

 

[stl76]

Robert Thomas is easily a top 10 C in the league this year and deserves serious Selke consideration.

 

[Musampa]

McDavid is the best but if we’re talking about CENTER position I would take MacKinnon and Matthews before him

 

[Despote]

McDavid is the best but if we’re talking about CENTER position I would take MacKinnon and Matthews before him

I can understand the angle you're approaching this with Matthews, but MacKinnon? He plays center exactly like McDavid does.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

I'd put Matthews at #2.

 

[Dirty Dan]

Matthews at 3? JT not on the list? JT deserves his damn respect too

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Matthews at 3?

Agreed, he should be higher.

 

[wetcoast]

I'd put Matthews at #2.

2 are you kidding he is washed up as the Leafs have 6 goals tonight and he has zero points.

He just had a lucky first 54 games there and a lucky 7 seasons before that.

 

[authentic]

2 are you kidding he is washed up as the Leafs have 6 goals tonight and he has zero points.

He just had a lucky first 54 games there and a lucky 7 seasons before that.

You spoke too soon he found his groove again at the end of the game

 

[NoName]

The top-3 look good. People can quibble #2 and 3 but I am good with how they ranked them. That bottom 7 is more contentious though.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Crosby at 4th is 100% legacy. Still a damn good player, but he's closer to 10 at this point.

He wouldn’t be #4 if more centers on this list did more in the playoffs.

 

[Buck Naked]

The fact that MacKinnon Matthews and Draisaitl were all left out of the top 10 on some ballots tells you how disingenuous some of the responses were.

Imagine there are people still out there thinking that players and operations guys know everything about hockey just because they work in the business.

 

[nowhereman]

Even as a huge Crosby homer, I was surprised to see him at #4. My view is that McDavid, MacKinnon, Matthews and Draisaitl are the de facto top 4 and then Sid is in the mix with the field. Mind you, he's so good that he's never a bad pick — even going on almost 37 years old.

 

[The Nuge]

He wouldn’t be #4 if more centers on this list did more in the playoffs.

That’s kind of a weird argument considering the guy listed behind him here is miles better in terms of playoff production rate. Leon is top 3 all time, and closer to Lemieux (at #2) than any active player (McDavid included) is to him.

 

[8899]

2023-24:

1 - Nathan MacKinnon
2 - Connor McDavid
3 - Auston Matthews
4 - Elias Pettersson
5 - Leon Draisartl
6 - Aleksander Barkov

Fixtures so.

 

[Kamus]

McDavid is the best but if we’re talking about CENTER position I would take MacKinnon and Matthews

Posters on here bitch about ESPN and hockey analysts not knowing the game and then you have people like this guy……